Here at the BBG Newbie Desk, I endeavor always to come clean about how my biases affect my views. I prefer to live and work in uncluttered environments, for example, and I am more apt to open up to somebody who demonstrates similar mannerisms. I am inspired by those who naturally prioritize the people they care about before themselves. I tend to assume, perhaps naïvely, that each person is inherently good until she or he proves otherwise.

My earliest viewing of #BB15 was during a few evenings while Judd was Head of Household (HOH). The first time that I tuned into the live feeds during a morning, "The Helen Show" was on. It was Sunday, July 21 ... and for more than three hours starting at about 6:45a, Helen had the house to herself. Nobody else was awake. Apparently during a Power of Veto (POV) competition the day before, Helen caught a random "punishment" of an 8:00p curfew. She had to sequester herself from all other house guests; bathroom breaks were permitted but she couldn't talk with anybody. So Helen was well-rested and eager to start the next day.

It was Helen's activities that Sunday morning which I found to be both astonishing and endearing. Rather than adopting an attitude of "Big Brother punished me, so I'm gonna do whatever self-indulgent thing I want to right now, and I don't give a hoot about anybody else" -- and, be honest, who among us wouldn't consider doing exactly that -- Helen started cleaning up the messes everybody left around the place!

Exhibit one was the bathroom. Here's what Helen found (top photo) and then how she organized things (bottom):

Helen even bagged up the bathroom trash and windexed the kitchen mirrors:

Only after Helen had devoted two hours to cleaning did she take time for herself to make breakfast and go jogging:

I've also seen Helen cooking huge meals (spaghetti, something called "slop balls", etc.) for the entire house several times ... and only once did I see another house guest (Andy) actually thank her for it.

Even so, while catching up with some of what I missed during the first month of #BB15, I keep reading how people say Helen is too bossy and/or too much into delivering lectures even after her week as HOH was up.

But doesn't Helen's repeated selflessness earn the right to be fully engaged in conversations with other house guests, pushing whatever strategic agenda (whether of her design or someone else's) she wants? She takes care of her fellow house guests in ways they neither realize nor thank her for, so I don't see how her frequent cooking and cleaning could be interpreted as manipulative. We don't call Judd or Spencer or even Amanda "bossy" when they push their agendas.

Not, of course, that Helen has to "earn the right." It's a game, and she's playing it -- quite expertly, from my albeit not-yet-very-educated perspective. It's true that I might be biased for having not tuned into #BB15 until after Helen's HOH week. Perhaps you have more reasons to dislike her than to root for her. I can respect that, but I'm in a different place.

The true measure of a person is found in what she or he does when nobody is watching. (In this equation, Internet viewers don't count.) Whether Helen is enough of a gamer to last longer than everybody else in the #BB15 house remains to be seen. But in my book, Helen is already a winner.

Are you already on Team Helen? Or if not, why not? Comments welcome below or find me @uselesstraffic.

Next from the Newbie Desk: What do you do when the only thing you don't want to have happen happens?

Reader Comments (4)

Hey John - I'm up WAY past my bedtime but wanted to comment. Two issues with Helen from your post. When she jogs - inside - its very noisy & there are HGs sleeping not 15 feet from her turn-around spot in the living room - she really should wait until after every one is up before doing it. 2nd, Amanda is constantly berated online for her 'bossyness' and as tonight's MVP nomination revealed - it appears America (or #TeamElissa at least) finds her unworthy of being in the house.

Keep it up! I like the before and after pics - Helen worked really hard and as you said - gets very few kudos.

Great post, you hit the nail on the head several times about Helen, she is not my fav person (I have no favs in there) but she is doing her best, she cleans like a champ! No one apart from andy thanks her which is a shame.

Excellent post. I see Helen doing a majority of the work in the house as well as the cooking but I see it as her being in 'MOM' mode to maintain her sanity. But I still don't like her very much. Congratulations for becoming a Big Brother addict!!!!